AUSTINTOWN YSD Industries lays off workers amid effort to save the plant

AUSTINTOWN -- YSD Industries laid off 110 workers as officials continue to try to save the plant.
Jack Jones, YSD director of human resources, said officials still are working on securing financing that will allow operations to continue.
In the meantime, 100 hourly and 10 salaried workers were furloughed Friday, he said. The maker of railroad car parts still has 60 hourly and 30 salaried workers on the job.
Jones declined to comment further.
The company also laid off 80 workers in December.
In January, YSD issued a notice that said the plant would close March 8.
Workers later agreed to a nine-month concessions package to enhance the company's chance of receiving financing. Company officials expect business conditions to improve later this year and are trying to keep the Henricks Road plant open until then.
YSD has said in a letter to employees that it has suffered substantial losses and had an unspecified amount of past-due bills.
YSD, formerly known as Youngstown Steel Door, has seen business conditions erode since the 1970s, when it employed about 2,000. William Mundinger, company president, led an executive buyout of YSD in 1988.